Is this the most ridiculous photocall ever? Freezing models told to frolic in the snow to promote hotel chain

It's a tried and tested publicity stunt - girls in bikinis running along a beach get a lot of public attention.

But in the absence of a beach, or sunny tropical scenery, the Hilton created their own 'pop-up beach' along the banks of the Thames in what could be described as the most ridiculous marketing campaign ever.

The group of seven models - dressed in nothing but flattering navy blue swimsuits - were hired to prance about in the snow as part of a promotional campaign by the Hilton to publicise their most recent sale.

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Snow angels: models frolic in the snow in freezing temperatures in London as part of a publicity stunt for Hilton hotels

Sand and snow: Hilton models dash for the sand at a photo shoot near Tower Bridge in temperatures of 1C in London

The scantily clad women were asked to run through the snow in a Baywatch style with bare feet in temperatures of around 1C.

The pop-up beach consisted of sand and palm trees with an otherwise gloomy-looking Tower Bridge as a backdrop.

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The stunt was launched on Blue Monday
with the intention to create a feel good factor among those who passed
by the artificial beach scene.

Onlookers were invited to participate in a 'mini vacation' and the beach was kitted out with Lumie lights - designed to fight the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which causes people to feel depressed in winter months.

Bracing weather: a blonde model plays with an inflatable beach ball in the January cold in central London

Models pranced in the snow bare foot as part of a publicity campaign to encourage British people to take more holidays

Chilling out: Hilton models relax on the banks of the Thames in the snow near the 'pop-up beach'

The women played with beach balls,
'sunbathed' and posed for pictures as part of the Hilton's publicity
campaign created to encourage British people to take more holidays.

A
spokesman for the Hilton said: 'A study of 2,000 workers in the UK
found that the majority of annual leave is spent catching up on
household chores, DIY projects or even food shopping.

The research commissioned by the Hilton showed that on average people used just eight days of their annual leave to take a holiday.

VIDEO BRRRR! Hitting the beach by the Thames in the middle of winter!

Having a ball: Models played with beach balls among palm trees at the Hilton's fake beach

Blue Monday: Models ran through the snow as part of the marketing campaign

Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos
said: 'With 40 per cent of respondents in the survey noting that
vacations are the only real time they get to spend quality time with
their families, it's important that people are encouraged to use more
than the eight out of 24 days annual leave they are currently using and
gain a better work-life balance.'

According to the survey the majority of the British workforce has not had a holiday in at least a year and more than half check work emails and take office calls whilst on leave.

The study also found men are more likely than women to take time off to avoid
stressful work-related situations and blondes are more likely to spend
their holidays doing domestic tasks.

Models posed alongside palm trees and artificial sand in the freezing January weather as part of the Hilton's publicity stunt